Machine for treating quill substances.



Patented July 6, 1909.

10 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

W. WEBSTER.. MAGHINE P01u HEATING QUILL sUBsTANoBs.,

APPLIUATIGI FILED O0T.31, 1906.

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APPLICATION FILED 06T. 31, 1908. 927,439, Patented July 6, 1909. 10 SHEETB-BEEET 2.

W. WEBSTER.

moms ron TRBATING QUILL sUBsTANoEs.

lAPPLICLL'IIOI FILED 00T. 31, 1906.

Patented July 6,1909.

10 SHEETS-SHEET a.

Uro/mars W. WEBSTER. MAUHINB FOR TBBATING QUILL SUBBTANUES.

APPLIGATIOF FILED 00T. 81, 1908.

Patented July 6, 1909.

10 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

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MAOHINB IOR TRBATING QUILL sUBsTANoEs.

APPLIOATIOB FILED GOT.31, 190B.

927,439. Patented .my 6,1909.

10 SHEETS-SHEET W. WEBSTER.

MAGHINE FOB TREATING QUILL SUBSTANUES.

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927,439. Patent-,ed July e, 1909.

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I APPLIUATIUE FILED 00T.31, 100B. Patented 6' 10 SHEETS-SHEET 7.

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W. WEBSTER. MAGHINE Fon HEATING QUILL SUBSTANGBS.

APPLICATION FILED 00'1.31. 1906. 6'

10 SHEETS-SHEET 8.

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W. WEBSTER.

MADHINEPOR TBBATING QUILL SUBSTANOES. Arrmou'xon r1LnnoaT.a1, 190s.

927,439. Pgntea July 6.1909.

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W. WEBSTER.

MACHINE FOB TBEATING QUILL BUBSTANUES.

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927,439. Patented July 6,1909.

10 BBEETB-SHEET 10.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM WEBSTER, Ol" LONDON,

ONTARIO, CANADA, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS,

TO THE WARREN FEAFIII'IRBONE OOM'PA NY OF MICHIGAN, OF THREE OAKS, MICHIGAN,

A CORPORATION Ol" .M llllGAN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 6, 1909.

Original application filed December 15, 1905, Serial No. 291,856. Divided and this application filed October 31,

To all 'whom 'it may concern.'

Be it known that I, WiLLIAM lMEBsTER, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at London, in the Province of Ontario, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Im )rovements in Machines for Treating Quill Substances, of which the following is a specification, this application being the result of a division in the aiplication filed by me on December 15, 1905, erial No. 291,856, for a patent for a machine for preparing quill substances.

This invention relates to machines for treating quills in the manufacture of what is commercially known as featherbone, a substance designed to fill the office of fiexible resilient stays in connection with various classes of dress goods.

Heretofore in the reparation and manufacture of quills into eatherbone, the quill is first s lit and thoroughly strip ed and oleane( of its contained pith. l` ereafter the longitudinal sections of the quill thus cleaned are libered"'; that is, further split longitudinally into a number of thin narrow 4slivers or fibers disposed side by side, with the end portions of successive bunches of fibers more or less overlapped and intermixed so as to create a continuous cord of substantially uniform caliber, to which is applied a winding or covering of thread to mechanically bind the fibers together; from the wound cords of iiber thus prepared the linished roduct is created by a special treat ment mvolving immersion in a specially prepared glue or cement and compressing and solidifyin by means of rollers.

The object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved organized machine for transforming quills from their natural state into the Wra pcd or wound cords o ibered stock, througli the successive opera ions of s litting, depithing or cleaning, ibering andpwrapping or winding.

The feather quills of turkeys and other birds are composed of a relatively hard and tough substance forming the back or convex side of the qpill, and a softer and more pliant form of t e same substance forming the face or concave side of the quill. When the quill is split longitudinally in a plane dividin0r the back and face of the quill, the two split halves or sections possess these differ- Serial No. 341,500.

ent characteristics in respect to the quality of the substance, and, of course, Where the backs are used exclusively in the make-up of one cord and the faces of the quills are used exclusively in the make-up of another cord, these same differences in the quality of the texture will appear in the finished product. Both kinds are useful and valuable, according to the particular puriose or purposes served by the finished pro uct; and another object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide a machine in which, by se arating the hard and soft sections of the qui l, cords possessin the described differences of quality and c aracteristics may be produced.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved simplified mechanism whereby the subdividing of the iibered stock and the delivery of the subdivisions to the receiving tubes of the winders is effected.

In carrying out the purposes of the present invention, I employ, in connection with a suitable platform or table, a single quillfeeding or introducing mechanism and splitting device preferably located about centrally of one side of said table or platform; and on either side of said feeding and splitting devices, and extending toward the opposite ends of the table or platform, I dispose separate depithing, gulding, iibering, winding or Wrapping, and reeling mechanisms, which are substantial duplicates of each other, one set of mechanisms taking care of one side of the split quills, and the other setsimilarly o 'Jerating upon the other side of the split quills.

My invention, in its various as ects and general organization of arts will e readily understood when speci cally considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this speclfication, in which I have illustrated a practical mechanical embodiment of the invention, and in which,

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the complete machine, with minor details omitted for the sake of elearness; Fig. 2 is a top plan view of one longitudinal half of the machine; it heilig understood that the other half is a duplicate of the same parts inversely arranged; `Fig. 3 is an enlarged elevational view, partly in section, of the feedingii mechanism, substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of the main intermediate portion of the machine, with the winding devices omitted for the sake of clearncss; Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4, but includingr one of the winders and its driving means; Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail of the quill-iil'iering mechanism and its driving means, which mechanism is duplicated at the two ends of the machine platform or table; Fig. 7 is an. enlarged detail view of the main line or driving shaft and showing the driving means therefrom to the quill-libering at the two ends of the machine and the quill-splitting devices at the center of the machine. Fig. 8 is a detail plan view in the nature of a diagram illustrating t-he system of geared connections between the main fiber-cutter and feedingin shafts shown in Fig. 7 and the auxiliary feed rolls; Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic lan view, illustrating the sprocket and ciain driving means of each gang of winders; Fig. 10 is a top )lan view of the mechanism in which the uil sections are libered, guided and deliverec to .the receiving tubes of the winders; Figs. 11, 12, and 13 are detail lan views of a plurality of stationary was .ers interposed between the circular cutters of one stack of fibering devices, which serve the four-fold function of spacers for the cutting disks, cleaners for the cutting disks, iiber-ejectors, and fiber guides between the cutters and the winders, said arts being shown in the relative angular )ositions which they occupy when assemble in the stack; and Figs. 14, 15, and 16 are views similar to Figs. 11, 12 and 13, respectively, of the corresponding washers in the opposite stack of cutters.

Before proceeding to a detailed description of the machine, I will first briefly outline in a eneral Way the referred organization of t e machine, as lierein shown, and described, naming the several mechanisms and the order in which they cooperate. The entire mechanism is supe osed upon a flat oblong table or platform, t ie principal o erating arts of t e machine being carrie( by a smailler similarly shaped bed-plate supported on suitable standards upon and above said table or platform. Centrally of one of the longer sides of the bed-plate is mounted a quill-feeding mechanism from which the stripped quills are advanced in successively overla ing order with the nose of each quill severa inches in advance of the nose of the next succeeding quill, upon a quill-splitting knife, whence the two halves of the quills are fed in opposite directions, ast a pair of rotary cutters which clean the inner surfaces of the uill sections of the pith. Thence the cleanedl sections are advanced in substantially straight lines and in o posite directions toward the opposite en s of the bedplate between stationary guides and advancdevices forming part of the iibcring mochanism, divides the mass ol' fibers or slivers into a plurality ol' divisions or bundles and guides and directs each division into and through the receiving tubes of a series of winders situated at diiferent angles behind and converging toward the discharge side of the fibering mechanism. ln those winders the several bunches of fibered stock are wound. about by a suitable cord or thread which binds them together into a continuous strip, the winders each being provided with gripping rolls-which serve to draw the strips through the winders at a suitable rate of speed to eiiect the proper binding together of the slivers. From the winders the wound strips at each end pass off the ends of the machine over a reciprocating ceiling mechanism to and around a series of receiving spools on which they are laid in successive spiral layers.

Proceeding now to a detailed description of the machine and of the several coperating mechanisms of which it is composed, 1 designates a rectangular horizontal table or platform supported at its four corners on legs 2. 3 designates a shorter horizontal bed-plate supported upon and above the table on suitable standards 4. Substantially centrally of one of the longer sides of the bed-plate 3 is secured thereto a laterally extending shelf 5 (Figs. 2 and 3), constituting a support for the quill stacking and introducing mechanism. This latter comprises two or more pairs of posts 6 and 7, the members of each pair being spaced sufficiently to receive between them a series of superposed stri pcd quills 8. lnwardly of the guiding an( su porting posts 6 and 7 there rises from the bed-plate a post 9 which has a deep longitudinal groove 10 on that side adjacent to the guides 6, the lower end of which groove is continued through the posts in the form of a feed throat 11 (Fig. 3) of sufficient size to admit the passa e therethrough of the two lowermost quil s of the series. The post 9 is referably surmounted by a removable guide op er l2 (Fig. 3) having outwardly flaring walls adapted to readily receive and guide into the vertical groove of tlllie post the advance or blunt ends of the qui s.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the stack of quills is supported and guided at its inner end by the grooved post 9 and intermediate its length by the inner and outer guide posts 6 and 7. In order to effect the downward feed of the individual quills of the stack as fast as the quills are Withdrawn from the bottom, l employ means for maintaining a constant downward pressure on. the stack of quills, the means herein shown for this pur )ose consisting of a bar 13 disposed behind t .e stack and having at its ends pivoted fingers 14 which overlie the upper quill crosswise thereof, to which bar is secured a depending rod 15 (Fig. 3) passing through and guided in the bed- V)late extension shelf 5 and platform 1, an( terminating in the weight 16.

Referring next to the mechanism for advancing into the machine the successive quills of the stack from the bottom of the latter, 19 and 191L designate a pair of duplicate feed disks that are mounted in the same horizontal plane on the upper ends of shafts 2() and 2()LL journaled vertically in the bedplate 3. A turkey quill is of maximum diameter or thickness near its inner end, and tapers therefrom gradually to its outer end, as shown in Fig. 3. The disks 19 and 19a have a thickness substantially equal to the maximum diameter' of one quill plus the intermediate or mean diameter of the next quill, for a purpose which will appear in connection with the description of the operation; and preferably provided with slightly grooved or fluted peripheries, and with flattened portions, indicated at 19t in Fig. 2, which come opposite each other or into registration once during each revolution of the disks to permit the next to the lowermost quill to drop between the disks and be engaged thereby. These disks are so positioned in the horizontal plane of the feed slot or throat 11 that as the rear ends of the fiattened portions 19ID come together u'ion the next to the lower-most quill., the atter is clamped between the peripheries of said disks and advanced thereby upon the continued rotation of the disks, the lowermost quill of the stack having been similarly gripped by the disks and partially advanced into the machine. From the slot or throat 11 the nose of each quill advances, some three or more inches behind the nose of the immediately preceding quill, into the grip of a pair of peripherally notched or milled feed rolls 21 and 21l mounted in the same horizontal plane on the up )er surface of the bed-plate 3, said rolls being eyed on the upper ends of a pair of vertical shafts 22, 22a mounted in the ed-plate 3. From the grip of said rolls the quill passes directly upon the edge of a knifeblade 23 so disposed as to lie longitudinally of the advancing quill and centrally of its path of movement, whereby the quill is split ongitudinally into two halves, one of them representing (in the feeding arrangement shown) the hard back of the quill and the other re rcsenting the softer face portion of the quil This latter, making a turn of sub- Stantially a right angle to one side, is engaged by and fed between the feed roll 21 and a companion feed roll 24 keyed on the up er end of a shaft 25 mounted in an adjnsta le bearing block 26, whence it passes between the periphery of a rotary cutter-disk 27 mounted on a vertical shaft 2S journaled in the bed-plate and a guide-block 29 opposite the periphery of said cutter engaging the outer surface of the quill section.

Between the cutter 28 and guide-block 29 the inner side of the quill is denuded of its contained pith and thoroughly cleaned. The cutter-disk rotates in the direction of movement of the quill-section, and is provided with oblique peripheral teethwhicheffectually cat out the body of` pith contained in the half shell. From the pith-cutter 2S the cleaned half shell passes through a tilbular tapered guide-clmnnel 3() to the nip of another pair of peripherally milled feed rolls 31 and 32 keyed on vertical shafts 33 and 34, respectively, the roll 32 being carried in an adjustable bearing-block 35, so as to be adjustable toward and away from thc periphery of its companion roll 31. By these rolls 31 and the cleaned section or sections of quill stock are further advanced through another tuhular tapered guide-channel 3G into the action of the fibering mechanism which s lits the quills longitudinally into a mass of s :ivers or fibers, which latter as they emerge from the mechanism, are divided into a ilurality of parts or portions each of whidh is led away se arately to and through a mechanism whic i wraps a cord or thread therearound to bind each division into a continuous strip or strand. This mechanism, which is shown more particularly in Figs. (i and 10 to 1.6, inclusive, consists generally speaking, of two stacks of superposed rotary cutting disks separated by alternate stationary Washers which serve the quadruple function of spacing the cutting disks so that the edges of one series slightly overlap the proximate edges of the other series, of cleaning the cutting disks and preventing the accumulation of fine particles of the material therelictwcen, of cjecting the individual slivers from hetwcen the cutter disks, and of guiding said slivers into the tubular receiving mouths of their appropriate winders. The construction of this mechanism will he readily understood by reference to the detail views, Fig. 6, and Figs. 1() to 16 inclusive, wherein 37 and 38 designate a pair of vertical shafts rotatably mounted in the bed plate 3 beyond and to either side of the discharge end of the channel-guide 3G, said shafts having keys 39 and 40, respectively (Fig. 10). rlo either side of said shafts are mounted in the hedplate pairs of posts 41 and 42, respectively. On the shafts 37 and 38 are mounted, first, a pair of relatively thick shims 43 and 44, superposed on which are series cf alternately Vdisposed circular cutting disks and interposed washers of the same thickness as the disks. All of the cutter-disks are keyed on the respective shafts 87 and 38 so as to rotate therewith; while the apertures oi the Washers are ot suilieient diameter' to permit the shafts and their keys to rotate therein, as shown in Fig. 10. The tWo series of alternate cutters and washers are so positioned on the shafts 37 and 3S, respectively, that the cutters of one series occupy the horizontal plane ol' the washers of the other series, and vice versa so that the proximate edges ot the cutter-disks overlap each other, the inner peripheral portion of each cutter-disk lying between the inner peripheral portions ol the adjacent cutter-disks ol the opposite series. The cutter-disks ol the series on shaft 37 are designated by 45, and the cooperating cutter disks mounted on shaft 38 are designated by 46. The Washers, of which those mounted on the shaft 37 are deisgnated by 47, and those mounted on the shaft 3S are designated by 4S, consist oi' thin ilat plates of the same thickness as the cutter-disks and provided with apertures 49 and 50, loosely engaging the shafts 37 and '38, respectively, and with smaller separated apertures 51 and 52 that engage the posts 41 and 42, res ectively, and hold said washers non-rotate )le about the axes ot the cutters. '.lhe edges 53 and 54 of the washers lying adjacent to each other are disposed inwardly ot the overlapping portions ot the cutter-disks, and these edges are continued on the discharge side ot the cutters in the form ot' straight tangential portions disposed at ditl'erent angles to constitute guides ior the iibers into the receiving tubes ot' the winders.

ln the present drawings I have shown the liber-ing mechanism as serving siX winders, the receiving tubes ol' which are grouped about 36 degrees apart around the dischztrge side of the libering meelianisni. In this case, the tangential guiding edges ol' one group of washers on each side are extended at a comparatively small angle l'rom the line of feed of the quills into the ibering mechanism, as shown at and 56 (Figs. 13 and 16). rlhe tangential guiding edges oi' another group are extended at a somewhat greater angle7 as shown at 57 and 58 (Figs. i2 and 13); While the tangential guiding edges ol' the third group extend at appriximately a right angle from the line ol leed olI the quills, as shown at 59 and 6() (Figs. 11 and 14). In the particular instance shown, the lowermost group consisting oi' l'our washers guides the lowermost portion ol' the iibered stock over the tangential margins and .56 into the two central receiving tubes oi' the winders; the intermediate group, comprising two Washers on each side guides the intermediate portion of the tibered stock over the tangential edges 57 and 58 into the intermediate receiving tubes of the Winders and the upper group, consisting oi" four Washers on cach side, guides the upper portion ol.' the iibered stock over the tangential guides 59 and into the outermost receiving tubes ot the Windel-s. I have found in practice that thc successive fibers as they pass in more or less overlapped condition through the cutters, cling so closely to the guiding edges oi' the stationary Washers that the latter may be relied upon to a large extent to eject the tibcred stock and conduct the several divisions thereol' into the receiving tubes of the winders. Some short and fragmentary slivers are, however, produced in. the tibering mechanism; and to insure the guiding of these into the appri'ipriate winders I prefer to employ, particularly in connection With the intermediate and most widely divergent guiding portions ol the washers auX- iliary guides in the form ol vertical flanges 6l and 62 on the uppermost member ol' the bottom series of Washers on each side, respectively; and similar flanges 53 and 64 on the uppermost member of the intermediate series of Washers on each side, respectively. The 'Ilanges 61. and 62 lie Aparallel with and opposite the tangential guiding edges 57 and 58 of the intermediate series, and the iianges (i3 and 64 lie parallel with and opposite the tangential guiding edges 59 and of the uppermost series. rlhese guiding llanges serve to insure a proper direction ol' travel to short slivers or to the advance ends ol' any slivers which may tend to spring out and l'ail to iollow closely the guiding edges ol' the washers themselves. The two cooperating series or stacks of cutters and Washers are suitably clamped and conlined by means of upper Washers 65 and 66, nuts 67 and GS, and locknuts 69 and 7 U. From the libel-ing mechanism last described the divided sections ol' the ibcred stock pass oil' to and through a series ol' winders which coil about them a binding cord or thread. These Winders, six` ol which are herein shown at each end olI the machine, are duplicates oi' each other, and are positioned on the table i at suitable angles to receive the several sections.

Each Winder is mounted on a post 71 (Figs. 2 and 5) secured at its base by a clamping bolt 72 operating in a guide 73 ol a horizontal l'eed late 74 in such a manner to be adjusta le toward and `from the iibering mechanism. f{"he post 71 has rotatably mounted on a tubular shalt 75 projecting inwardly from a bracket 76 connected to its upper end a pulley 77, last on the outer lace ol' a bevel gear 78, on the inner tace of which latter are mounted spools 7 E) carrying the Winding thread 80. Attached to the inner tace olI each gear coneentrieally therewith and in alinement with the tubular shalt 76 is an inwardly projecting tube 81, which tube extends into close proximity to the outer extremities oi' the tangential guides o'l` the several series of Washers oi' the iibering mechanism, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. The threads 80 from the spools are threaded through small holes 82 in the tubes 81 near the inner ends of the latter. Un the upper end of each post 71 is mounted, side by side,

a pair of gripping rolls 83 and Se, the fune- -tion of wl'iich is to grip the wound stoel;

draw it through the winders and pass it on to the receiving rolls. One of these rolls (S3 as herein shown) is fast on the upper end of a shaft 85 rotatably mounted in the head of the post 71, said shaft extending downwardly 5through a bearing in the table 1 (Fig. 5). rihe roll U3 carries on its upper end a small gear 80 which meshes with a similar gear 87 on the companion roll S4 and drives the latter. From the winders the wound strips may be carried to and received upon any suitable receiving reels or spools, the mechanism herein shown for this purpose being as follows. In a pair of bracket arms 88 secured to and extending outwardly from the end of the table 1 is journaled a reel shaft S9 (Fig. 2) carryilig on one overhanging end a sprocket wheel 90 by which it is driven. Keyed on this shaft are a series of friction disks 91 and 923 and loosely mounted on the same, between said disks are a series of receiving spools 03. One head of each spoolis crowded against the respective disks 91 by means of a coiled s ring 94 which at one end thrusts against t 1e other head of the spool, its opposite end having an abutment against the disk 02 to secure the required f rictional e'l'ect between the opposite head of the spool and its cooperating friction driving disk 91. The strips or cords are laid in close and uniform coils by a well known type of ceiling mechanism consisting of a sleeve 95 slidable longitudinally on a rod 96 supported parallel with and beyond the receiving spools; this sleeve carrying a series of grooved pulleys 97, one for each spool, over which the wound strips pass, and having at one end the usual tongue 98 that rides back and forth in a right and left hand thread formed on one end of the shaft .l.

Thus far I have described the various mechanisms and instrumentalities that perform the successive operations upon the material treated, transferring it from stripped quills at the start to continuous uniform stri s or cords of the fibered shells of the qui ls it being understood that the mechanism shown in Fig. 1 as constituting one longitudinal half of the machine is duplicated throughout the other longitudinal half of the machine, as indicated in the general side elevational view of Fig. .1, wherein, to the eX- tent that duplicate parts are shown, they are indicated by the same reference numerals with an alphabetical exponent. I will now briefly describe the mechanism by which the several operating parts already described are given their respective movements and caused to perform their respective functions in the i operation of the machine.

Referring Iirst to the elevational views, li'igs. 1. 3, l and 5, and the fragmentary plan view 7, 00 designates the main line or driving shaft of the machine which is hori zout-ally journaled upon the table 1 under be l.-plate 3, and has fast thereon a jrooved pulley 100 receiving motion from a elt 101 driven from any suitable source of power. This shaft also carries a spiral gear 102 that meshes with and drives a similar spiral gear 103 fast on one end of an overhanging counter shaft 104 suitably journaled in brackets 105 depending from the bed-plate 3. On the counter-shaft 104 are a pair of spiral gears 106 and 107 that engage and drive horizontal spiral gears 10S and 109, respectively, (Figs. 3 and 4), n pon the lower ends of the cuttershafts 2S and 28a whereby the pith-cutters are positively driven at high speed. On the main shaft 9) are three worms 110, 111 and 112 (Figs. 4 and 7) that engage and drive corresponding worm wheels 113, 114 and 1 15 on the lower ends of the fiber-cutter shafts 37 and 37a and the feed-roll shaft 22, res ectively. Referring to Figs. 6 and 8, it wi be seen that the shafts 37 and 37'Eni carry small gears 116 and 116a which mesh with and drive similar gears 1 17 and 1 17, respectively on the companion fiber-cutter shafts 3S and 38a, whereby both libering mechanisms at the oppiosite ends of the machine are positively driven. .ldlc gears 11S and 11Sa (Fig. 8) meshing with and driven by the gears 116 and 110u respectively engage and drive gears 110 and 1102L on the feeda'oll shafts 33 and 33 a, said last-named gears engaging and driving similar gears 120 and 120a 011 the com` panion feed-roll shafts 34 and 34, The oentral worm-driven shaft 22a carries agear 1218L that meshes with and drives a companion gear 121 on the feed-roll shaft 22; and this latter gear, through an idle gear 122 drives a gear 123 on the shaft of the quill gripping roll 10, said gear 123 engaging and driving a companion gear 123 on the shaft of the companion gripping roll 10a. The several winders of each group are driven by the intermeshing bevel gears 78, as shown in Fig. 2, receiving their motion from one of their number which is driven from the main line shaft 99 by means of a pulley 124 thereon (lfig. 5) and a belt 125 connecting the pulleys 124 and 77. For actuating the several pairs of gripping rolls S3 and 841, I employ a sprocket wheel 126 on the 'fiber-cutter shaft 37, beneath the table 1, which engages and drives, through a chain 127, a series of similar sprocket wheels 12S (Fig. .lll on the lower ends of the several gripping roll shafts 85; a series of adjustable idlers 129 serving to both guide and tension the chain. For imparting a positive drive to the reel shaft, l employ, on the lower end of the fiber-cutter shaft 37 a bevel gear 1.30, which drives a companion l gear 131 on the inner end of a power-transmitting shaft 132, on the outer end of which latter is a sprocket wheel 131 (Fig. 2l that drives, through a sprocket chain 134, the reel shaft sprocket 90.

ln order to keep the machine as clean and free of dust as possible, l provide means for drawing olf, by air suction, the pith of the shells and face parts as fast as it 1s loosened and removed by the cutters; the means herein shown com rising corded passages 135 (lfig. 3) forme in the bed-plate Il and leading from the under side of the pith--cutters to the outer face of the bed-plate, and connecting with suitable suction pipes indicated at 136;

The operation of the machine has already been set forth in connection with. the descrip tion of its various parts and mechanisms, and it only remains to point out the leadingI novel mechanical functions and results secured thereby. ln the iirst place, it will be observed that from the point at which the quills are split the two sections of each quill pass off through separate cleaners and guides to separate sets of iibering and winding mechanisms. These latter are herein shown and described as disposed at opposite ends of the machine frame, but this particular ar rangement is for the sake of simplicity and economy in the disposition of the driving devices, it being obvious that the particular disposition of the separate sets of iibering and winding devices on the machine is immaterial, so long as such separate devices are employed to handle different parts or sections of the quill. As suggested in the preliminary part of this specification, by split ting the quills between the backs and faces thereof, and leading the backs to one set of iibering and winding mechanisms, and the faces to the other, two products embodying the different characteristics of the backs and faces of the quills in respect to hardness and toughness are obtainable, which is an important feature and advantage of the present machine. The quills are advanced into the machine over the splitting knife and past the pith cutters in substantially duplex order, one above the other, the lowcrmost quill. of the pair being a few inches in advance of the uppermost; and the two cleaned sections are brought into side by side arrangement during their passage through the tapered guides 30 and 36, the upper walls of which are downwardly inclined in the direction of travel of the quill sections. This manner of feeding in the quills and handling them during their passage to the iibering mechanisms insures a suilicient stock of quill substance to supply both gangs of winders at the opposite ends of the machine, respectively.

The novel form and construction of washers employed in the iibering mechanism is of importance, since these washers are capable of serving not only the functions of spacers and cleaners for the cutting disks, but also the additional functions of guides and dividers for the fibered stock and of supplying the individual winders of each series.

The driving of the several windcrs of each series by direct intermeshing gears of equal size, one of which is directly driven from the main line shaft and drives all the others, insures equality and uniformity in the work of the winders. Also, the actuation of the reel shaft by the positive driving means shown and described prevents possibility of slipping, and insures a constant take-up and spooling of the product as fast as it is delivered by the machine.

lt is evident that the details of the several parts and mechanisms of the machine and their relative order or arrangement may be somewhat varied by those skilled in` the art without departing from the principle of the invention or sacrificing any of the benelits and advantages flowing thcrefri'im. Hence,

the invention is not limited to the particular structure and organization of machine shown and described, except to the extent clearly indicated in specific claims.

Having thus described my invention what l claim as new and desire to secu rc by l'icttcrs Patent is:

1. In a quill-trmrting machine, thc combination with means l'or feeding the quills into the machine, and means for splitting the quills longitudinally, ol a plurality oilibering mechanisms operating upon the respective sections of the split quills, substantially as described.

2. In a quill-treating machine, the combination with means for feeding the quills into the machine, and. means for splitting thc quills longitudinally into a plurality ol sections, o'l' means for excising the pith from the, split sections, and a plurality oll libering mechanisms operating upon thc respective sections of the split quills, substantially as described.

3. ln a quill-treating machine, the combi nation with means for feeding the quills into the machine, ol' means for splitting the quills longitudinally between their faces and backs,

v means for excising the pith Afrom the split sections, and a pair ol' i'ibering mechanisn'is operating upon the face and bach sections ol' the split quills, respectively, substantially as described.

4. ln a quill-treating machine, the combination with a sup orting table, ol' means for supporting a staci ol super-posed quills disposed substantially centrally of one side ol' said. table, means for withdrawing and adv aneing the quills successively into the machine, a quill-splitting knife disposed in the path ol' said quills, depithing devices on either side ol said splitting knife, and a plurality of iibering mechanisms located at the opposite ends of said table and operating upon the respective split sections of the quills, substantially as described.

5. ln a quill-treating machine, the combination with means for support-ing a stack of superposed quills, of means for withdrawing and advancing the quills successively in longitudinally oiiset relation into the ma chine, a quill-splitting knife disposed in the path of said quills, a depithing device operating upon the superposed split sections, a guide beyond said depithing device serving t0 effect a side by side disposition of the superposed sections in the same plane, and a libering mechanism servingI to reduce said split sections to a bundle of fibers, substantially as described.

6. ln a quill-treating machine, the combination with a supporting table, of means for supporting a stack oi superposed quills disposed substantially centrally of one side of said table, means for withdrawing and advancing the quills successively in longitudinally oii'set relation into the machine, a quill-splitting knife disposed in the path of said quills, depithing devices on either side of said knife operating upon the superposed split sections, guides beyond said depithing devices serving to effect a side by side disposition of the superposed sections in the same planes, and fibering mechanisms located beyond said guides, respectively, each serving to reduce said split sections to a bundle oit iihers, substantially as described.

7. In a quill-treating machine, the combination of a supporting table means Afor supporting a stack of superposed quills; means for withdrawing and advancing the said quills at the same time whereby they will be in overlapping relation, a plurality of the same being advanced in such overlapping relation.; a splitting knife for splitting said quills; depithing devices for depithing the same; tapering guides for delivering the said split sections in overla'lpping relation; fibering mechanism for tibering the sections in this relation; and means for distributing the fiber, substantially as described.

8. In a quill-treating machine, the combination. of a supporting table; means for supporting a stack of superposed quills; means for withdrawing and advancing the said quills at the same time whereby they will be in overlapping relation, a plurality of the same being advanced in such overlapping relation: a splitting knife for splitting said quills; depithing devices for depithing the same; tapering guides Vfor delivering the said split sections in overlap ing relation and iibering mechanism for ii )ering the sections in this relation, substantially as described.

9. In a quill-treating machine, the combination of a supporting table; means for supporting a stack of super-posed quills; means for withdrawing and advancing'` thcsaid quills al the same time whereby they w1ll be in overlapping relation, a plurality of the l same being advanced in such overlapping relation; a splitting knife for splitting said quills; dcpithing devices for depithing the same; tapering guides for delivermg the said split sections in overlapping relation; iibcring mechanism for fibering the sections in this relation; and means for distributing the said fiber, substantially as described.

l0. In a quill-treating machine, the combination of a supporting table; means for supporting a stack of superposcd quills; means for withdrawing and advancing the said quills at the same time whereby they will be. in overlapping relation, a plurality of the same being advanced in such overlapping r elation; a splitting knife, for splitting said quills; depithing devices for depithing theI same; guides for delivering the said split sections in overlapping relation; and iibcring mechanism for libering the sections in this re 1 lation, substantially as described.

1 l. In a quilltreating machine, the combi nation of a supporting table; means for supporting a stack of superposed quills; means for withdrawing and advancing the said quills at the same time whereby they will bc in overlapping relation., a plurality of the same being advanced in such overlapping relation; a splitting knife for splitting said quills; depithing devices for depithing the same; tapering guides for delivering the said split sections to a 'libering mechanism consisting of two stacks of rotary cutters between which the quill stock is iibered, washcrs disposed alternately between the cutters of each stack, said washers having fiberguiding edges arranged at various angles and serving to divide the stock on the discharge side of the cutters and conduct the divisions off at corresponding angles7 substantially as described.

12. In a quill-treating machine, the combination of a supporting table; means for supporting a stack of superposcd quills; means for withdrawing and advancing the said quills at the same time whereby they will be in overlapping relation, a plurality of the same being advanced in such overlapping rclation; a splitting knife for splitting said quills; dcpithing devices for depithing the same; tapering guides for delivering the said split sections to a libering mechanism consisting of two stacks of rotary cutters bctw-cen which the quill stock is iibered, washers disposed alternately between the cutters of each stack, said washers having fiber-guiding edges arranged at various angles and serving to divide the stock on the discharge side of the cutters and conduct the divisions off at corresponding angles, substantially as described.

13. In a quill-treating machine, the combination of a supporting-table means for supquills at the same time whereby they will be in portingr a stack el' superposed quills; means l for withdrawing and advancing the said 1 quills at the same time whereby they will be in overlapping relation, a plurality of the saine being advanced in such overlapping relation; a splitting knife for splitting said quills; depithing devices for de iithing the saine; tapering guides for deliverlng the said split sectiiiins to a ibering mechanism consisting of two stacks ef rotary cutters between which the quill stock is i'ibered, Washers dispcscd alternately between the cutters of each stack, said washers having fiberguiding edges arranged at various angles and serving to divide tl i stock on the discharge side of the cutters, and certain of said washers also having upright guide-flanges adapted to coperate in effecting the division of the iibercd stock, substantially as described.

14. ln a quill-treating machine, the combination of a supporting table means for supporting u, stack of superposed quills; means for withdrawing and advancing the said overlapping relation, a plurality of the saine being advanced in such overlapping relation; a splitting knife for splitting said quills; depithing devices for depithing the same; guides l'or delivering the said split sections to a i'ibering mechanism consisting of two stacks of rotary cutters between which the quill stock is lbered, washers disposed alternately between the cutters of each stack, said washers having ber-guiding edges arranged at various angles and serving to divide the stock on the discharge side of the cutters, and certain of said washers also having upright guide-flanges adapted to eoperate in eti'ecting the division of the ilibered stock, substantially as described.

1n witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seai in the presence of two Witnesses.

W ll'il 11AM. W ,lGSl IC it. Vitnesses:

it. G. Fisnnn, LULU GREENFIEIJ). 

